CihanNews: 7/5/2004

ANKARA (CIHAN) - A resolution from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on the Turkish Penal code was rejected by the Turkish parliament Justice Committee on Monday.

The resolution, which was criticized by the opposition CHP for paving the way to the removal of the headscarf ban in schools, has increased tensions between the AKP and the Republican People`s Party (CHP).

Justice Minister Cemil Çiçek said that the issue has been misrepresented as a dispute between the opponents and proponent of secularism in Turkey.

The recent discussion was reminiscent of the former high-tensioned discussions on the vetoed higher education bill.

Secularist President Sezer vetoed 4 articles out of 12 on May 28. Sezer cited the secular order of the state as the reason for the veto. The President`s statement also said the bill encouraged students to enroll in Imam-Hatip religious schools and that it undermined the unity of the Turkish secular education system.

The draft bill on the Turkish Higher Education Board (YOK) had come under fire from academics, the media, opposition parties and the Turkish army.

The recent resolution was envisaging punishments and sentences to people who block students from enrolling. The CHP deputies in the Justice Committee claimed that the resolution was prepared to allow students suspended for wearing headscarves to return to school. The CHP members had threatened to leave the committee.

The headscarf issue has been on the agenda in Turkey for many years. Female students have been expelled from universities for wearing headscarves, considered a religious and ideological symbol by the secular Turkish state. Female university students have been suspended from universities for wearing headscarves in Turkey since 1996.

The European Court of Human Rights last week ruled that that Turkey could maintain its ban on headscarves at universities to defend its secular state and to counter pressure from fundamentalists.

Cicek said at the committee meeting that every Turkish parliamentarian work for democratic, secular and lawful principles for Turkey. "It is wrong to give an impression that some support these principles while some tries to destroy them."

The Justice Minister said that he was uneasy with a situation in which some were represented as pro-secular while some were opponents of secularism.

Later, the resolution was voted on and the committee members voted in favor of dropping the resolution.

Source: TurkishPress.com http://www.turkishpress.com/turkishpress/news.asp?ID=22002